My Solution: Cheap XJ Fender flairs

[teamwestoutdoors]

Hey gang, this is my first attempt at a write up so bear with me on this one. A couple of weeks ago I had one of The State of Utah's finest (Utah Highway Patrol) Officer pull me over to inform me that if he seen my XJ Dudley on the road again without fender flairs that covered my tires he would give me a ticket and even impound my little black friend. So, me being the cheap sake that my father has worked so hard to developer over the last 38 years didn't want to spend a small fortune on Bushwhacker's that I knew I was just going to peel off in the coming weeks down in Moab. So for about $11 buck at the local wall marts I scored some lawn edging and to work I went taking a couple photos for you all on the way.

This is Dudley's front with out fenders flairs:
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_21359_.jpg

My supplies:Lawn edging, pop rivets, pop rivet gun, razor knife, thick gloves and a cordless drill.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_33833_.jpg

I first cut open the tube part of the lawn edging. I cut it at the edge so I could slide my fender into the cut I had made and have material on both sides to pop rivet to the sheet metal.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_33834_.jpg

Wearing some thick leather gloves, I went about bending the edging into an "L" shape and slide it onto my fender. I drilled holes and used pop rivets to secure them to the rig. As I worked I would cut "V" notices into the tube part of the edging to allow it to bend more to the curves of the fender cut.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_33836_.jpg

Then it was just a matter of drilling and riveting until I had it all in place.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn203/wildwestbows/699936982_photobucket_33837_.jpg

I took it out and found some good mud to give them a test and they worked great. I cut a length and throw in some extra rivets and a gun in case I peel one off on the trail. I'm still looking for the trooper to drive past so I can pull him over and show him my handy work! :smiley-gen165:

[bigjim350]

Seems like a great idea.

[bluedragon436]

Nice flares... I was thinking of using this same stuff to extend my stock flares when it comes time for inspection... might look "ghetto" but.. hey if it covers my tires.. should be good to go!!

[oderdene]

well done, very nice idea. Now find him and pass him :D :D :D

[CONDUCTORICK]

Great idea, I will be at Wal-Mart in the morning!!

[jdougn]

Great first write up! I investigated all sorts of different flare options, and tore bushwackers off the side of my XJ, until I just decided to make my own too! Nice work with the lawn edging. You made it look pretty good.
Doug

[Switch_knuckles]

I have seen people use the edging but most of them put it on with the tube section on the outside. Nice job.

[Mudderoy]

I love this. The only way it could have been better is if it had been done with donuts! FU COP! :rotfl2:

Seriously why are some states so damned picky?!?!

[oderdene]

I love this. The only way it could have been better is if it had been done with donuts! FU COP! :rotfl2:

Seriously why are some states so damned picky?!?!

I think it depends from people (cop), when I was bumperless (few days before fabbing) no cops stopped me for 2 week in city center, but when I left city to countryside, one cop stopped me and ticketed "bumperless is illegal" :rotfl2:

[alwaysxj]

I think it depends from people (cop), when I was bumperless (few days before fabbing) no cops stopped me for 2 week in city center, but when I left city to countryside, one cop stopped me and ticketed "bumperless is illegal" :rotfl2:

Utah is just crazy no matter where you are.:thumbdown: I think I have had 30 or more no mud flap tickets...:mad0090:

[bluedragon436]

Well while messing around online tonight at work... I found this (http://www.knowwhere2jeep.com/pacer-performance-two-58-piece-4-1-4-extra-wide-flexy-flare-fender-extensions.html) which I thought was pretty funny... since you can save a bit of money and just do it the way you did here.. and get pretty much the exact same effect.

[Punisher]

Now that some handy dandy flares....:thumbsup:

Nice write up...

[rguignard]

i might try that i hate my tires sticking out so far with my doors off. can you take a pic from the side and top of the hood for me please ? thanks for the write up very good one

[Mudderoy]

i might try that i hate my tires sticking out so far with my doors off. can you take a pic from the side and top of the hood for me please ? thanks for the write up very good one

Wow you could actually be pretty severely injured by flying debris!

[rguignard]

Wow you could actually be pretty severely injured by flying debris!

off road is bad :eek:

[XJ4IV]

I think it depends from people (cop), when I was bumperless (few days before fabbing) no cops stopped me for 2 week in city center, but when I left city to countryside, one cop stopped me and ticketed "bumperless is illegal" :rotfl2:

Thats BS.... and you neeed to fight that ticket if you havent yet.... show me a bumper on these cars
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSgfnlqd9YfSAZ73KbO6p4jzScBCwFCB TWvLjyepmfTF-jYVokI
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRnDtE2UH1fGcmEtJJ4zPb7ZmN2Ww-j-UqKpLWjln5KL7F2lqP3qA
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQsBoyOAlqTYY7HWmYVRLP9Cj_rmJJn_ lzEnN_I1jXXbXqKW6w4hA
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTWSACFS4SDWkwrMxvIw2WbDLQTYD84k FAPPh6pOwOu74bs7HUUMA
what constitutes a "bumper" ? the reinforcement behind it?
ok our jeeps have ZERO behind them... in fact my firt XJ was totalled out because the lack of strength on the rear bumper.
that being said is a bumper a portion of the vehicle that sticks out past the main body?.... none of those cars above have a "bumper" the front have a radiator RIGHT FREAKING THERE! no room for foam!

[modestmar00xj]

yeah! thats good work! i like it!

[teamwestoutdoors]

Here's a bad cop story to go along with yours. My wife got off work one after noon to find a State highway patrol officer parked behind our truck. When she walked up to him and asked him if there was a problem he informed her he had been waiting for an hour and gave her a ticket because our window tint on the driver and passenger door windows where to dark. That guy waited an hour to give her that ticket that cost us 55 bucks! Your tax dollars hard at work saving the public! :thumbsup:

thanks everyone for your info on my write up. I will get you the photos you asked for as soon as I get home.

[Mudderoy]

Here's a bad cop story to go along with yours. My wife got off work one after noon to find a State highway patrol officer parked behind our truck. When she walked up to him and asked him if there was a problem he informed her he had been waiting for an hour and gave her a ticket because our window tint on the driver and passenger door windows where to dark. That guy waited an hour to give her that ticket that cost us 55 bucks! Your tax dollars hard at work saving the public! :thumbsup:

thanks everyone for your info on my write up. I will get you the photos you asked for as soon as I get home.

Wow! That's just insane.

[4x4Dalton]

So far I've been lucky. Passed countless cops and none have stopped me or said anything about mine being flairless.Even have a county deputy living in trailer park and pass him every day at mailbox. Now with said I'm bound to get pulled over :smiley-laughing021::smiley-laughing021: .

[bluedragon436]

^^ going to happen now... just wait till you get the lift on... then they really pay attention to ya!!

[jdougn]

None of the cops in the 3-4 states around here seem to be bothered by lifts & big tires. I've never heard of anyone in southern Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, or Tennessee getting a ticket although it may have happend. I do know other states are a lot more strict. We're just lucky around here!

[LizardRunner]

Arkansas is one of those states that don't care much how high you are or how big your tires are nor do they care about tires being covered. they only seem to care if your speeding 20 miles per over the posted limit, never mind if you fail to yield the right of way or run a red light, no worries there, just don't speed to much.